A LOUGHBOROUGH woman is attempting to trace the relatives of a local soldier whose photograph was discovered in a blocked up attic more than 25 years ago.

Yvonne White says the photograph was found at 26 Churchgate in the mid 1980s by a group including her father Bill Warner.

“My father told me a builder was replacing slates on the roof at the back of the property, when he saw a broken skylight,” said Yvonne.

“On peering through, he saw a tin trunk and what looked like picture frames.

“On investigating the top of the stairs to the first floor, a panel was discovered, covered with several layers of wallpaper.

“Behind it were stairs continuing up to the attic room.

“In the room was a rusty tin trunk which contained, what appeared to be, a World War One uniform jacket. This unfortunately fell to pieces on being taken out, but it had two stripes on the lower arm.

“My dad was subsequently told that these would indicate that the soldier had been wounded twice.”

The soldier’s photograph was then discovered, which Yvonne believes to be of James William Goddard.

“I researched the occupants who lived there at the time of World War One and it was a family called Goddard, who had an upholstery business.

“Goddard’s Upholsterer’s were at the premises from 1914 to 1954.

“From family history research I have concluded that it is probably James William Goddard.”

In the 1911 census, Goddard is shown as a 21-year-old Omnibus driver who lived with his father James, an upholsterer and cabinet maker, mother Harriet and sisters Florence and Agnes.

Another photograph was found in the attic of a woman, who Yvonne believes could be Goddard’s wife Jessie Cartwright who he married in 1916. They had one daughter who married in 1941 and she had one son with the surname Taylor.

Yvonne continued: “For James’s war history, I contacted Mel Gould at the Carillon. He and his colleagues have been extremely helpful.

“The uniform worn is that of the Leicestershire Yeomanry, but records list him as being in the Leicestershire Regiment.

“Apparently the Leicestershire Yeomanry suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Frezenberg in 1915 and remaining soldiers were deployed to other regiments.

“It would be nice if we could give a copy of the photograph to any descendants.”

Are you a relative of James William Goddard?

If so, then get in touch by calling 01509 635809 or email zoe.higgins@trinitymirror.com